Close-up routines.

Feb 22, 2017
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Hi all, one more question about this event that I am going to. What are the best routines that I can do for complete strangers? I have some normal routines like the Ambitious card routine and Chris Ramsay's 3 card monte and so on, but are there any that you would suggest for a stranger audience tat they will enjoy?
 

Josh Burch

Elite Member
Aug 11, 2011
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1,101
Utah
Hi all, one more question about this event that I am going to. What are the best routines that I can do for complete strangers? I have some normal routines like the Ambitious card routine and Chris Ramsay's 3 card monte and so on, but are there any that you would suggest for a stranger audience tat they will enjoy?

Is there a reason that strangers would like different magic than people you know?
 
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Jan 26, 2017
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Hi all, one more question about this event that I am going to. What are the best routines that I can do for complete strangers? I have some normal routines like the Ambitious card routine and Chris Ramsay's 3 card monte and so on, but are there any that you would suggest for a stranger audience tat they will enjoy?

You could do a cold reading, or a mind reading routine. They are generally super easy, powerful, and impromptu (or atleast the one I perform is). I generally perform one when someone catches me off guard, or with a very large audience and to a heckler (though I don't make it strange for the audience).

I'm not sure why you would want to make it strange/awkward/odd, but your performing style is your own, so I wont question it.

If you want to make it strange, act like a total creepy psychic. If you need inspiration on being a creepy mentalist, see Joel Meyers and Spidey's routine on Fool us. They made the mockery of a psychic a hilarious part of their performance. Here's the link, jump to 1:40 to see the "creepy mentalist";

One more note - The 3 Card Monte is not credited to Chris Ramsay, nor did he take Credit for it. It is a old scam/trick, and can be found in many books, documents, etc. Thus, I would suggest not labeling it "Chris Ramsay's 3 Card Monte".
 
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Feb 22, 2017
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One more note - The 3 Card Monte is not credited to Chris Ramsay, nor did he take Credit for it. It is a old scam/trick, and can be found in many books, documents, etc. Thus, I would suggest not labeling it "Chris Ramsay's 3 Card Monte".

I meant Chris Ramsay's Version of the 3 card monte... Sorry.
 

RealityOne

Elite Member
Nov 1, 2009
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You could do a cold reading, or a mind reading routine. They are generally super easy, powerful, and impromptu (or atleast the one I perform is). I generally perform one when someone catches me off guard, or with a very large audience and to a heckler (though I don't make it strange for the audience).

Any "cold reading" or "mind reading" routine that is "super easy" and "impromptu" probably isn't that good. Cold reading is a skill that requires a bit of learning and practice and mind reading is something more than simply guessing which card they have or what word they wrote down. When performed correctly, those routines shouldn't get a "how did he do that trick?" response, but should send shivers down the audience's spine because they are thinking "he really just did that."

... but are there any that you would suggest for a stranger audience tat they will enjoy?

In the other thread, you mentioned close-up magic for a large audience. What is the set-up? Do you have a table? Is the audience in front of you so they can see the table? Is there a video stream to monitors? Are you doing stand up magic? Is the audience seated in folding chairs, around tables or in an auditorium? You said you were performing while they set up the stage. What event will follow your performance? How big is the audience? All this affects the selection of effects to perform.

You also said you were performing in a couple of days. How long do you actually have to prepare? Is that really long enough to learn something new? For me, it takes several months to take an effect, master it, develop the presentation, reherase it, practice it in front of family and friends and get it to the level that I'm comfortable to perform it in front of a real audience.

With that in mind, what effects do you perform regularly? Those are the effects that you will perform best rather than something new that you haven't worked the kinks out of.

Finally, a word of kind advice. Never agree to do a show that you don't have. Too often I hear of people who do street magic agreeing to do a kids show or guy who do card tricks agreeing to do a stage show. I'm glad to help you with this show, because I want you to suceed for your sake and for the sake of the art of magic. BUT, in the future, develop your show before you agree to do it.
 
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So if I'm out and about performing street magic I always like to do magic with borrowed objects. That's the inspiration behind some of my own creations that I use to perform street style with. My current opener is Ring Flight Revolution which begins by borrowing a ring. My belief is that magic is always more powerful when it uses a borrowed object because it takes away that feeling of "Oh he's just using a magic prop."
 
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Jan 26, 2017
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Any "cold reading" or "mind reading" routine that is "super easy" and "impromptu" probably isn't that good. Cold reading is a skill that requires a bit of learning and practice and mind reading is something more than simply guessing which card they have or what word they wrote down. When performed correctly, those routines shouldn't get a "how did he do that trick?" response, but should send shivers down the audience's spine because they are thinking "he really just did that.
I may have gotten the name or my words messed up then. What I do is more of a force and slow reveal. For example, I let the spectator's shuffle up deck, cut it however much they want, etc. Then, I take a peak at a card, (no one ever catches the specific peak I use), and force that card on them, making it look as free as possible. I then give them the deck, or put it away. Next, I ask them to "broadcast their ideas to me", starting with red or black and ending with their actual card. I do the effect different ways as well. It generally gets a great reaction.
If this is not a cold reading routine, could you please tell me what it is, because I'm a bit confused. Thx :)
 

WitchDocIsIn

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Sep 13, 2008
5,877
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What you're referring to would commonly be called "mind reading" 2manytekkers.

Cold Reading, as opposed to Hot Reading, is when you give someone a personality reading or spirit medium style reading without having any information before hand. Hot Reading is when you have researched the subject first, and thus have ample, specific information about said person. Some folks also use "Warm Reading" which is a combination of using general statements that feel specific but generally apply to everyone, and some specific information for that one person.

What many magicians call "Cold reading" is actually just throwing out Barnum Statements and hoping for the Forer effect to work, and that's that. It's lazy, and it's usually lame. Watching a skilled reader work is incredible.

This is why it's important to know your terms before using them. Otherwise people get the wrong ideas.
 
Jan 26, 2017
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ChristopherT oh thx.
I had heard cold reading and mind reading used interchangeably, so I assumed they meant the same thing. I'll keep that in mind for the future.
Sorry for the confusion :)
 
Oct 6, 2015
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Things I perform often(I am strictly mentalism) are:

Star Sign Anagram (Peter Turner)

ROSE (Fraser Parker)

Phone Code Divination (Peter
Turner)

Springboard (Michael Murray)

True Mysteries (Fraser Parker)

The Prodigal (Atlas Brookings)

Cal-Ender (Michael Murray)

Life Equation (Peter Turner)

Billet Peeks/Tears (Various)

The Flutter of Black Wings (Robert Watkins)
 
Oct 6, 2015
22
8
ChristopherT oh thx.
I had heard cold reading and mind reading used interchangeably, so I assumed they meant the same thing. I'll keep that in mind for the future.
Sorry for the confusion :)

Cold Reading is typically used in a mind reading routine to strengthen it.
 

WitchDocIsIn

Elite Member
Sep 13, 2008
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Cold Reading is typically used in a mind reading routine to strengthen it.

Ehm. Sorry. No, that's wrong.

Cold reading -can- be used to strengthen a mind reading routine, but it's also super easy to overwhelm and muddy the effect if you put too much cold reading into it. This is something more often done by newer mentalists and/or magicians who fancy themselves mentalists.

The typical use of Cold Reading is to ... cold read someone. To give a personality reading based on zero information, hopefully working on to reveal some personal information to give the impression that the performer knows everything about the person he is reading. Watch Luke Jermay, he is excellent at cold reading. His show, Sixth Sense, is pretty much all readings.

I know it seems pedantic, but the proper labels are important for those who in the industry. There's a lot of talk about how mentalism is being trivialized and these are the points that are usually brought up - that newer folks just are not properly taught the foundations of mentalism and don't understand how it is fundamentally different to magic.
 
Oct 6, 2015
22
8
Ehm. Sorry. No, that's wrong.

Cold reading -can- be used to strengthen a mind reading routine, but it's also super easy to overwhelm and muddy the effect if you put too much cold reading into it. This is something more often done by newer mentalists and/or magicians who fancy themselves mentalists.

The typical use of Cold Reading is to ... cold read someone. To give a personality reading based on zero information, hopefully working on to reveal some personal information to give the impression that the performer knows everything about the person he is reading. Watch Luke Jermay, he is excellent at cold reading. His show, Sixth Sense, is pretty much all readings.

I know it seems pedantic, but the proper labels are important for those who in the industry. There's a lot of talk about how mentalism is being trivialized and these are the points that are usually brought up - that newer folks just are not properly taught the foundations of mentalism and don't understand how it is fundamentally different to magic.

I was trying to be simple, just for the fact that we are talking to someone who might be getting into mentalism, but is mainly a magician (I am saying this based on the fact they use 3 card monte and ambitious card)
 

WitchDocIsIn

Elite Member
Sep 13, 2008
5,877
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Yes, but being simple muddies the vernacular and creates this kind of confusion. While I certainly don't have the same level of irritation as many do over on the big green monster regarding magicians dabbling in mentalism, it's still important to maintain the correct phrasing to make sure people know what they are talking about.
 
Jan 26, 2017
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I was trying to be simple, just for the fact that we are talking to someone who might be getting into mentalism, but is mainly a magician (I am saying this based on the fact they use 3 card monte and ambitious card)

I'm don't generally use either of those extensively., I think the person who started this thread is who you are referring to. I was just trying to learn the difference between a mind reading and cold reading. To my understanding, a cold reading is when you state facts and try and show that you know stuff about the person. A mind reading on the other hand, is when you try and "read the mind of a spectator as a reveal" (eg. the trick I described above in #9, which in reality is slight of hand).
Thx for the help :)
 
Oct 6, 2015
22
8
I'm don't generally use either of those extensively., I think the person who started this thread is who you are referring to. I was just trying to learn the difference between a mind reading and cold reading. To my understanding, a cold reading is when you state facts and try and show that you know stuff about the person. A mind reading on the other hand, is when you try and "read the mind of a spectator as a reveal" (eg. the trick I described above in #9, which in reality is slight of hand).
Thx for the help :)

I was. My apologies. Should have read it all before hand. Sorry
 
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